Ford Explorer 2006–2010 problems by year and mileage
4th generation · U251
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,134 complaints, 980 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2006 Ford Explorer
Close- Median failure report
- 55,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 630
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2006
- Transmission and driveline296 reports · median 60,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system164 reports · median 46,000 mi
- Engine58 reports · median 81,000 mi
1 recall campaign names the 2006: Visibility — windshield wiper/washer. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2007 Ford Explorer
Close- Median failure report
- 67,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 208
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2007
- Transmission and driveline57 reports · median 69,000 mi
- Engine28 reports
- Electrical system25 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2007: Steering. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2008 Ford Explorer
Close- Median failure report
- 77,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 148
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2008
- Electrical system38 reports · median 72,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline36 reports · median 84,000 mi
- Seats27 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2008: Power train — automatic transmission. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2009 Ford Explorer
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 33
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2009
- Problems owners could not categorise5 reports
- Throttle and speed control5 reports
- Engine4 reports
The 2010 Ford Explorer
Close- Median failure report
- 41,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 115
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2010
- Transmission and driveline28 reports
- Seats20 reports
- Engine14 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2010: Seats — front assembly. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2008 reports latest and the 2010 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2008 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage. 1 of these years carries fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and shows no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.
The short answer
“Is the 2006–2010 Ford Explorer reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 61,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 126,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 980
- Recalls
- 4
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline37.0% of complaints · median 65,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system16.0% of complaints · median 46,000 mi
- Engine11.0% of complaints · median 82,000 mi
Owners filed 1,134 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006–2010 Ford Explorer; the transmission and driveline leads with 37% of them, and half of the 980 that record an odometer reading came by 61,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 35,000 and 90,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2006–2010 Ford Explorer last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2006–2010 Ford Explorer, half of the 980 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 61,000 miles and 90% by 126,000 miles.
47 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 7 past 200,000 — each one proof that an Explorer reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Ford Explorer 2006–2010 · 980 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 110 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 7 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 10,010
- 25%
- 35,038
- Median
- 61,000
- 75%
- 90,000
- 90%
- 126,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 94 | 9.6% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 66 | 6.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 45 | 4.6% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 73 | 7.4% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 104 | 10.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 80 | 8.2% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 110 | 11.2% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 81 | 8.3% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 81 | 8.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 50 | 5.1% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 57 | 5.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 22 | 2.2% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 31 | 3.2% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 19 | 1.9% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 20 | 2.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 11 | 1.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 11 | 1.1% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 6 | 0.6% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 7 | 0.7% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 7 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Explorer problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Ford Explorer 2006–2010
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Throttle and speed control67 reports36,0008,000–73,000Throttle and speed control: 67 reports, median 36,000 miles, middle half 8,000 to 73,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system182 reports46,00037,000–68,000Engine and its cooling system: 182 reports, median 46,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 68,000 miles.
- Electrical system116 reports63,00040,000–101,000Electrical system: 116 reports, median 63,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 101,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline420 reports65,00040,000–94,000Transmission and driveline: 420 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 94,000 miles.
- Seats85 reports66,00012,000–93,000Seats: 85 reports, median 66,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 93,000 miles.
- Engine125 reports82,00063,000–110,000Engine: 125 reports, median 82,000 miles, middle half 63,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise50 reports108,00080,000–158,000Problems owners could not categorise: 50 reports, median 108,000 miles, middle half 80,000 to 158,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 420 | 37.0% | 65,000 | 40,000–94,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 182 | 16.0% | 46,000 | 37,000–68,000 |
| Engine | 125 | 11.0% | 82,000 | 63,000–110,000 |
| Electrical system | 116 | 10.2% | 63,000 | 40,000–101,000 |
| Seats | 85 | 7.5% | 66,000 | 12,000–93,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 67 | 5.9% | 36,000 | 8,000–73,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 50 | 4.4% | 108,000 | 80,000–158,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 40 | 3.5% | 40,000 | 15,000–69,000 |
| Steering | 37 | 3.3% | 82,000 | 42,000–105,000 |
| Brakes | 34 | 3.0% | 98,000 | 73,000–130,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 61,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 37.0% of complaints (420 reports, 361 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 94,000 miles.
A single system taking 37.0% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 16.0% of complaints (182 reports, 170 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 46,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,000 and 68,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 11.0% of complaints (125 reports, 106 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 82,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 63,000 and 110,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (116 reports, 97 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 63,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 101,000 miles.
Seats account for 7.5% of complaints (85 reports, 73 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 93,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 5.9% of complaints (67 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 36,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,000 and 73,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2006–2010 Explorer
Engine 2006–2010
4.6L 3-valve Modular V8 variable cam timing (VCT) phaser rattle and cam-phaser-related ticking; also difficult-to-remove two-piece spark plugs that can seize and break in the head.
Engine 2006–2010
4.0L SOHC V6 timing chain cassette failure (same rear-cassette design as prior generations).
Transmission 2006–2010
5R55S solenoid pack and servo bore wear continuing from the third generation.
Before you buy a 2006–2010 Explorer: the 3-minute check
Generated from 980 mileage-tagged complaints, 4 recall campaigns, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine on 2006–2010 cars. 4.6L 3-valve Modular V8 variable cam timing (VCT) phaser rattle and cam-phaser-related ticking; also difficult-to-remove two-piece spark plugs that can seize and break in the head.
- Check engine on 2006–2010 cars. 4.0L SOHC V6 timing chain cassette failure (same rear-cassette design as prior generations).
- Check transmission on 2006–2010 cars. 5R55S solenoid pack and servo bore wear continuing from the third generation.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 35,000 and 90,000 miles, with a median of 61,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine and its cooling system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine and its cooling system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 46,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Explorer problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi47% below | At 90k mi75% below | At 120k mi88% below | At 150k mi95% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 40,000–94,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 37,000–68,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 63,000–110,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 40,000–101,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Seats | 12,000–93,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 8,000–73,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 80,000–158,000 | later | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
Figure 3 · Ford Explorer 2006–2010 · 980 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 47% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 75% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 88% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 95% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (7) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2006–2010 Ford Explorer recalls (4)
NHTSA records 4 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Apr 2010 · 2010 · SeatsIn the event of a crash, the seatback and head restraint may move rearward, increasing the risk of injury.
The defect. Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, Explorer, Explorer sport trac, and Mercury milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between december 15, 2009 through february 3, 2010 equipped with front seat manual recliners. These vehicles fail to…
What can happen. In the event of a crash, the seatback and head restraint may move rearward, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 30, 2010. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Sep 2007 · 2008 · Power TrainIf leaking transmission fluid contacts the catalytic converter, it may pose a risk of fire.
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with the 4.6L engine and 6r transmission, the bolt securing the transmission oil cooler line fittings at the transmission may not have been sufficiently torqued during vehicle assembly. As a result, the bolt may…
What can happen. If leaking transmission fluid contacts the catalytic converter, it may pose a risk of fire.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and have the transmission cooler line attachment bolt tightened free of charge. The recall began on august 30, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Apr 2007 · 2007 · SteeringThis condition could cause "clunking" noise when steering as well as decreased steering effectiveness…
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles, the two bolts that attach the steering gear assembly to the frame may have been over-tightened. This condition could result in one or both of the bolts fracturing, causing the steering gear to become loose.
What can happen. This condition could cause "clunking" noise when steering as well as decreased steering effectiveness potentially resulting in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace both the steering gear assembly mounting bolts and nuts free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Nov 2005 · 2006 · VisibilityAfter a period of continuous use on the high speed setting, lack of grease on the output shaft gear may cause…
The defect. On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.
What can happen. After a period of continuous use on the high speed setting, lack of grease on the output shaft gear may cause the gear to distort or fracture during operation resulting in a loss of wiper function.…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on november 22, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,134 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 43 (3.8%)
- Fires
- 15
- Injury reports
- 24
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Explorer problems by model year
The 2006 drew the most complaints of this generation, 630, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2009 the fewest, 33. A typical year drew about 148.
That makes the 2006 stand out at roughly 4.3 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 630 | 546 | 55,000 | Transmission and driveline (296) | 1 |
| 2007 | 208 | 184 | 67,000 | Transmission and driveline (57) | 1 |
| 2008 | 148 | 129 | 77,000 | Electrical system (38) | 1 |
| 2009 | 33 | 26 | under 30 reports | Problems owners could not categorise (5) | 0 |
| 2010 | 115 | 95 | 41,000 | Transmission and driveline (28) | 1 |
What Explorer owners reported
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park, and the vehicle rolled backwards about an inch. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the parking brake was enabled to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was…
2008 · 165,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was approximately 150,000. Most recently, the contact downloaded the Ford App, and when the maintenance history was…
2010 · 243,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the anti-theft, roll stability, and fuel filler messages were displayed with an audible alarm before the vehicle suddenly shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to the residence. However, the…
2010 · 48,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact parked the vehicle and allowed the vehicle to set for a while. The vehicle was started. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven 100…
2006 · 150,000 miles · Engine
Built from 980 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Explorer generations
- Explorer 1991–1994 175 reports with mileage, most about the tyres
- Explorer 1995–2001 1,534 reports with mileage, most about the tyres
- Explorer 2002–2005 4,953 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Explorer 2011–2019 7,896 reports with mileage, most about the steering
- Explorer 2020–2025 611 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline